Tool spinner for well drilling



Dec. 5, 1939. w. H. DUMBLE I 2,182,374

TOOL SPINNER FOR WELL DRILLING Filed Jan. 3, 1938 I PatentedDec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOOL SPINNER FOR WELL DRILLING William 11. Dumble, Bakersfield, cam. Application January 3, 1938, Serial No. 182,988

16 Claim.

This invention is a standard-type, well drilling, tool spinner.

The invention concerns atype of well drilling apparatus wherein the tool lowered or raised by a 5 cable string as distinguished from a rotary, drilling outfit.

An object of the invention is to provide means whereby one or another of various kinds of well string fittings or tools, such as bits, brushes, bailers, core-barrels and others adaptable, may be readily connected to the stringbottom'joint and whereby a very forceful. and sudden torque is applied to the foot-end, tool or other appliance seiected and attached to the string for such particular function asit may be'desired to accomplish in an expeditious and economical manner.

Further, an object is to provide means to enable the use of a rotary eifort :tool or device to the foot end of a standard string so that the erection is wholly eliminated.

Also, an object of the invention is to an energystoring mechanism readily combinative with a standard-tool string and which is controlled and automatically released by the applied device which is vto be subjected to a powerful and sudden rotary motion as to the axis of the device.

As a specific example, it is an object of the invention to provide means including a spinning 30 mechanism adapted to be bodily lowered into a sand choked well or well hole for rotating a tool to cut or loosen the material, or other obstacle, so as to facilitate bailing the well or hole.

An additional example is the provision of means for use with a standard string whereby to enable the taking of a core sample from the. bed of a body of water, as at the ocean shore, by use of a rotary core bit or barrel, without setting up the usual, very costly rotary drilling outfit.

The invention consists'in certain advancements in this art as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and having, with the above, additional objects and advantages as hereinafter developed, and whose construction, combination and details of 45 means and the mechanical actions thereof, and

' the method of working the hole or taking a sample, will be made manifest in the description of the herewith illustrative embodiments of apparatus; it being understood that modifications, variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the scope, principle and spiritof the invention as it is more directly claimed hereinbelow. It is understood that the functional use of the apparatus of this disclosure in any other art than that hereor installation of a rotary outfit for the purpose through the same at the plane of casing slips therein.

Figure 3 is a, sectional elevation of an embodiment for cutting a core sample.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of a form of a spinning, rotary-cutting bailer.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a spinner tool adapted for taking a water bed formation sample by use of a standard tool string, without a tool guide casing string.

Sometimes deep wells being drilled and flowing or pumped wells choke up with sand which packs very hard and cannot be removed by mere bailing methods and in such cases it becomes necessary to cut or drill out the packed sand, and then bail the cuttings.

In Fig. 1, there is shown a sand cutting fish-tail bit 2 and means combined directly therewith for rotating it as to a standard cable tool the lower ,joint or coupler 3 of which receives an attaching, threaded box 4.

In this box there is provided a set of slips 5 designed to be automatically expanded into nonrotative contact with the bore face of a relative size, well lining or tubing L into which the bit 2 so and its spinning mechanism are bodily insertible by the cable string. The slips 5 are slidably dovetailed at their upper ends in upwardly divergent guideways 6 provided in the box 4, and at their lower ends are dovetailed into downwardly di- 5 vergent guideways I provided in the upper end of a tappet plunger 8 slidably fitted in the lower end of the box 4 and splined thereto by radial lugs 9 working in respective slots ill therefor in the sides of the box 4. 4 The slipsi have vertical and radial action in respective slots I i in the box wall.

The tappet 8 has a bottoming rim shoulder i2 normally suspending the tappet and its attached, pendent parts from the box 4.

Surrounding the body of the tappet 8 is a, sub-. stantial helical spring l3 reacting .upwardly against the near end of the box 4 and downwardly against the upper end of a tubular housing [4 having an upper, internal shoulder i5 hanging on a shoulder it of the tappet 8 which has slidable action in the housing but is keyed thereto against rotation by lugs il playing longitudinally in guide slots l8 in the wall of the housing. Therefore the several parts above mentioned are u 1 well wall formation in possible cases, to hold the more or less telescopic and non-rotatlvely bined.

Means are provided in the housing |4 whereby to automatically spin the drill 2, or such other implement as is attached, and which is under the automatic control of. the tool 2, and includes means to lock the tool to the housing while under a spinning torque and until released by the tool at a given shift of relation of the tool longitudinally as to the tappet plunger 8.

Such means includes an inverted, ratchet ring l9 fixed in the housing preferably just below the slots 8 and axially guiding the adjacent, :lower end of'the tappet 8 and which .end is adapted to shift downward to a degree sufiicient to cause it to tap the near upper endsleeve 2| slidably fitting the housing l4 and having a ratchet crown ;22 yieldably engaging the ratchet I9 under upthrust of a locking spring '23 which is of higher resistance than'the tappet spring l3, for apurpose later set forth. I 1

Spring 23-seatson an annular shoulder 24 of a spinnable stem. 25 the upper end of which j is splined at 26 for telescope thereon of the ratchet sleeve 22--2|. The lower portion of the somewhat elongate stem 25 is provided with an ahnular bead 21 the lower face of which thrusts downward onto an anti-friction bearing 28 supported on a bushing 29 rigidly fixed in the lower end of the housing M; the lower end of the stem 25 turnably fitting in the bushing 29 and having a rigidly fixed collar 30 carrying an up-thrust bearing, of ball or roller type, 3| running on the lower face ofthe' bushing, and the stem 25 terminating with a screw 32 or other suitable means for ready attachment of the drill bit 2 or othe appliance for a given use. f

It will be seen that the stem 25 is swivelled t the foot of the housing against axial motion and is capable of axial-movement therewith relative tothe tappet 8 so that when the string of parts is lowered by the cable and its joint or coupler} 2 until the drill bit bottoms on a firm, resisting obstacle, as packed sand in the casing or lining or tubing L, or even in an unlined hole being drilled, the slip box 4 will initially slide down-' ward as to the tappet 8 and will cause the radial projection of the slips 5 by their wedge-like guideways 6-1; this action taking place by compression of the-lighter spring l3. The expanded slips 5 will bite into: the. face of the-lining bore or the combox 4, the tappet 8 and the housing 14 against rotation but stillpermitting all parts to move downward enough to bringthe sole of the tappet down onto the crown of the ratchet sleeve 2| and to disengage its teeth 22 from the fixed locking ratchet ring l9 by compression of its supporting spring 23 to the extent needed.

When the sleeve 2| is thus unlocked it and the splined drill carrying stem 25 are freed to rotate in and as to the housing l4. This rotation of the stem and the drill 2 is effected by means of an'elongate; helical spring or motivating device 33 one end 34 of which is fixed to the housing |4 whilst itslower end 35 is attached as to the bead 21 of the, stem 25. The main spring 33 is preferi'ibly'of left-pitch helically and the stem 25 is turned to the left before tool is lowered into the well so thatthe spring will be torsioned to place the stem 25 under a right-hand torque (looking downward on the stem assembly); the closed ratchet parts |922 holding the spring wound up,-that is, locking the stem to the housing. v 1

' luickiy rewound and 10 If the now prepared spinner assembly; be'lowered into the hole or well it will be centered therein by suitable external .,guides 3 6. fixed to the housing 4, and when the drill 2,i or other appliance, encounters the packed sand, for instance, it will come to rest and slips will be thrust out'to bind on the lining or well wall and the tappet 8 will move downward and engage thev sleeve 2| and draw its ratchet22 from locking engagement with the now non-rotative hou s-ing', ratchet. At this instant the stem 25 will be-ffree to turn and the unwinding effort of the main spring .33 will rotate the drill on the packed sandandcutand break it up so that the loosenedparts can be bailed out, or otherwise gotten; rid of.

The spinner can be pulled-,from the'hole and I ered for a repeat until the sand pack is entirely removed? There is, shown in Fig,.3 1an adaptation of the invention in the form of a 'holloweor core bit '2' having a sleeve 40'with fan internal inverted ratchet ring 4| andbeing interhooked at 42 with the lower end of a torque'- ;or main sprin'gfl'. This spring surrounds a'stein'g t'e' the upper end of which is fixed in thelower end. of a housing or string section 43 to be lowered into the hole or well in the manner as above set. forth. The lining L is engaged by a toothed formofguide 36' on the housing 43 which 'willp'revent "rotation of the latter in the lining L. I

The main spring 23 seats against andinterhooks with the lower end of the} housing section 43 and when torsionally wound-to the right (Fig. 3) by rotation of the core bit 2 places the bit under a right hand torque lookingdown endwise on the inserted tool'of Fig.3); the spring having the further function ofspressing the internal ratchet 4| down r'onto thecooperative ratchet ring 8 provided rigidly on thelower end of the stem 8"; whereby to hold thedrill spinning spring wound up. Within th'e' drill sleeve 40 (which constitutes also'a corebarrel) is another expansion spring 44 reacting between a shoulder 45 in the bit 2 and a superposed. anti friction bearing 46 running on the end fa ce of the ratchet stem 8. 7

The nperation of the core bit; is substantially the same as that of the bit 2. That. is, when the core bit 2* bottoms on an'obstacle in the well or hole, on the formationatthe bottom of a body of water, as at seashore,the load of .thehousing or section 43 will depress the ratchet ring 8* of the stem 8 from the ratr'zhetring 4| of the bit sleeve 40, incidently compressing the spring" 44, and thus permitting the unwinding effort of the main spring 23 to very forcibly turn the drill bit 2 to the right (looking downion the bit) and take a core-making cut in the formation or packed sand as the use'of the outfit will determine. Core passing into the. sleeve or bar'-' rel 40 will be caught, b rdken'oifandltrapped as'by. suitable automatic dogs 41. v l

. Another embodiment of the-invention is illus trated in Fig. 4, wherein a spinning bailer bar rel 50 is attached by suitable'connection'to the screw joint 32 of the string shownin' Fig. l, in place of the fish-tail bit 2. The bailerbarrel 5|! has an exterior ferrule 5| turnable thereon and having wall-engaging guides 52 tocenter the tool in a liner, a tubing, or well wall formation.

. In the barrel is a packed piston 53'having an up-lifting check valve 54 for passage of fluid to outlet ports 55 in the piston s'o that this-can be readily forced downward by its rod 56 which is connected by a couplingii iio the-screwpin 22, u

Fig. 4. The barrel 50 is provided with top ports 58 providing for fluid flow to and from the chamber above the piston 53. The barrel 5!] is pressed downwardly along the rod 56 to the piston 53 by an expansion spring 53 which is weaker than the top spring I3 in the string to which the stem 25 and its screw pin 32 is attached. The rod 56 and the barrel 50 are co-rotatively connected as by a suitable spline, such as 26, Fig. 1. J

Thus when the bailer barrel 5!! bottoms with its cutting teeth 50 against the obstacle, the piston 53 will be forced down in the barrel, vacuum being broken by fluid inflow at ports 58. When the piston reaches its downward limit in the barrel 50 then the main spring 33 of the string of parts, is tripped by the unlocking of the ratchet rings l9-22 and the torque of the spring will be spent in turning the bailer teeth on the formation or sand and the cuttings will be sucked into the bailer as the piston 53 is retracted by pulling up the string assembly. The cuttings will be trapped in the bailer barrel by the usual or a suitable check valve 60. .The spring 59 acts to hold the bailer barrel against bottom whilst the piston 53 is being drawn back into the barrel.

Where any of these spinnable or rotative tools are employed in bodies of water without any other means for holding the main spring anchoring element, as housing 34, against rotation, then such element will be provided with water wings or surfaces 6! to block the element against notice- What is claimed is:

1. The combination in a cable-type well tool string, of a rotary tool carrier, 2. body adapted for attachment to and support by such a string, means on the body to hold the body against rotation while suspended in service, the carrier being rotatively mounted on said body and having capacity for relative, axial motion, as to the holding means, a torsional spring connecting the body and the carrier for rotating the carrier, and releasable locking means connecting the body and the carrier against relative rotation by the spring and including mutual parts being releasable upon axial action of the holding means as to the carrier.

2. A well tool string apparatus including means attachable to a string for service in a well hole and having a holding device to engage a well bore surface to restrain rotation of said means while suspended in service, a tool coupling rotatively supported by said means, a torsional power spring means connecting said means and the coupling and for rotating the coupling, a locking device on said attachable means to restrain the coupling against such rotation, and a means on said attachable means to release the locking device for coupling rotation.

3. A tool string as in claim 2, and the releasing means including means controlled by a tool when applied and in use.

4. A well tool string drive apparatus including a body means attachable to a string and having a relatively rotative, axially movable tool coupling, a device on the body means to engage a bore wall and prevent rotation of the body means, a torsional spring connecting the body means and the coupling, means to interlock the body means and the coupling against relative rotation by the spring, and means operative by relative downward thrust of a part of the body means to release the interlocking means.

5. A tool string as in claim 4, and including a means operative by axial reaction of the coupling against the body means to set the bore engaging device.

6. A tool string as in claim 4, and including means controlled by the coupling to set the device in holding position and to release it when tension is placed on the body means to pull the drive apparatus.

'7. A well tool drive apparatus including a coupling, a body on which the coupling is rotatively, axially supported and which includes an upper telescopic member attachable to a tool string, means controlled by axial shift of said member as to said coupling for engaging a bore surface to hold the body against rotation in the hole, a spring means on the body connected to the coupling for rotating the coupling to drive a relative tool when. attached thereto, and releasable means controlled by the coupling for temporarily interlocking the coupling against rotation by the spring means.

8. A well tool apparatus having a tool coupling, a body structure rotatively carrying the coupling and attachable in suitable manner to a tool string I and having means to engage a hole bore surface to hold the body structure against rotation in a hole, a torsional spring for spinning the coupling in the body structure, a locking means to interconnect the coupling. and the body structure to prevent rotation of the coupling by the spring, and coupling controlledfmeans to eifectrelease from the locking means; said holding means being axially movable as to said coupling.

9. A well tool apparatus having a cable-attaching top member provided with bore surface engaging means to hold the member against rotation when suspended in a hole, a body structure connected coaxially to and splined with said mem- 'ber for preventing relative rotation; said member structure, a torsional motor device. on the body structure to turn the coupling, meansto lock the coupling against rotation by said motor device,

and means controlled'by the coupling under re-' action to unlock the locking'means; the. saidmember being movable as to the coupling to cfiect such unlocking result.

10. A tool as in claim 9, and including a yieldable device between the topmember and the body structure operative to normally separate the same to limit of thespline action.

11. A well tool spinner, comprising a top member joinable to a non-rotative supporting string, holding means on said member to engage a bore surface to hold the member against rotation, a body structure splined to said member for relative axial motion only, a tool coupling mounted for rotation on said body structure, a torsional spring connecting the body structure and the said coupling to turn the coupling whilst the body structure is held by said means, means to interlock the coupling against rotation on the body structure by the spring, and means to effect unlock of the interlocking means upon axial shift of said member as to the coupling.

12. A tool as in claim 11, and including a yieldable means thrusting the coupling in a direction to effect the locking thereof to the body structure and provide for unlocking shift of the member.

13. A tool as in claim 11, and including a yieldable means between the top member and the body structure to normally retract the holding means and provide for its setting by relative descent of the member as to the body structure when this is initially arrested in service installation and before the interlocking means is. disengaged;

14. A tool as in claim 11, and including means to efiect a retraction of the set holding means by the cutting means strikes the well ttom.

combination. a body structure attachable to ar part of the string to be suspended thereby, a locking device on said structure operative to engage a surrounding bore surface to hold the structure against rotation while suspended in the bore hole, a tool carrier rotatively mounted on the body structure to rotate a suitable applied tool, a motor spring connected to the said structure and to the said carrier for rotating the carrier, locking means on the body structue to engage the carrier and hold it against rotation by the spring, nd means forming a part of the body structure, movable as to and controlled by reaction of the arrested carier to disengage the locking means so that the carrier may be spun by the spring.

- WILLIAM H. DUMBLE. 

